


Never Know

by wilddragonflying



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Cancer, Case Fic, Criminal Underworld, F/F, F/M, Interspecies Relationship(s), Love Confessions, Mentions of Cancer, Mentions of said abuse, Ovarian Cancer, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-08
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-25 10:19:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6191218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wilddragonflying/pseuds/wilddragonflying
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"See, Nick, the thing is," Kaila says as they wait in the shadows, watching the still-closed museum where Nick and Judy closed their first case, "we foxes are sly, we're crafty, and we're observant - as long as we're not talking about our own emotions."</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Nick frowns, glancing at his aunt from the corner of his eye. "I'm not sure I follow."</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"We never know when our heart's been stolen, boy. Not until it's been stomped on a bit, anyway. Heck, I'm the reigning champion thief, and even I couldn't tell when Lyra took my heart, not until I almost lost her the first time, the first time I was the one to put her in danger. She left me for a week, and it was the most miserable I'd ever been - and I was never happier than when she showed up at my apartment, slapped me the moment I opened the door, and told me that if anything like that happened again, she'd leave for good." Kaila gives him a look and a slight smile as she adds, "The thing about being a thief is I know stolen goods when I see them - and your heart, Nick, it's been gone for a long time."</i>
</p>
<p>When a string of robberies strike Zootopia, Nick has to call in a favor or two, and learns a few things along the way as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So. My life has come to this. I'm... actually... writing rabbit/fox fic.
> 
> I'm not sure if this is a new low or what.
> 
> Anyway, this wouldn't leave me alone, so... have a fic.

”Hopps, Wilde, a moment please.”

Nick exchanges a look with Judy as Chief Bogo flags them down, directing them into his office. The look clearly says, _What did we do this time?_ The only problem is, Nick is _pretty_ sure they didn’t do anything. Not since the last time Bogo called them into his office, anyway.

Nick shuts the door behind them before he joins Judy in front of the water buffalo’s desk. “Yes, sir?”

The chief doesn’t look too happy - but when does he ever - as he slides a file across the desk to them. “I didn’t want to bring this up in front of everyone else just yet. We just received reports of several nonprofit clinics around Zootopia being robbed.”

Judy gasps softly beside him, and Nick focuses on the file as Judy asks, “How many?”

”Almost all of them,” Chief Bogo answers. “They were all medical clinics, several dealing with helping those who can’t exactly afford expensive treatments - particularly chemotherapy.”

Nick blinks and then looks up. “I’m sorry, did you say ‘chemotherapy’? As in the treatment for cancer?”

Bogo watches him carefully. “Wilde, there’s a reason I want you and Hopps on this case, and that reason is your background. You have connections in the underground, and I want you to use them. If you can find someone who can help us, then I just might be willing to cut a deal if they ask for one.”

Nick nods. “I might know someone,” he says evasively as he stares intently at the case file. “Is this the first robbery?”

”No; there have been several smaller ones, but we’ve been unable to find a connection.”

”We’ll do what we can,” Judy promises, and Nick echoes his agreement as they gather the file to return to their desks; as soon as they’re seated, the rabbit crosses her arms over her chest, one foot tapping the floor as she watches Nick with a raised eyebrow.

Nick just grabs his coat and Judy’s, tossing the latter to her. “Come on; we can talk on the way.”

* * *

”Why are we in the suburbs?” Judy asks about half an hour later, confusion evident in her voice. 

”Because my friend lives out here; she and her partner will be able to help us, but she’s probably going to want a deal.”

Judy looks at him carefully for a moment before nodding. “Okay, I’m trusting you on this.”

Nick blows out a breath as he pulls the car - _not_ the cruiser - into a nondescript driveway. “Yeah, here’s hoping that doesn’t come back to bite us in the tail.”

When Nick rings the doorbell, it only takes a moment before a leopard answers, blinking in surprise before grinning in delight. “Nicky!” she exclaims, bending down to sweep Nick into a hug. “You rascal, why didn’t you tell us you were on your way! Kaila, your nephew’s here!”

As the leopard steps back, Judy can see another fox poking her head out of the kitchen with a raised eyebrow before she grins. “Indeed he is. To what do we owe the pleasure, Nick?”

”I need a favor,” Nick says. “I never called that one in you promised me after I finished working with you, but I’m calling it in now.” Judy watches the scene in confusion as Kaila’s expression falls into neutrality.

”Lyra, shut the door,” she says slowly. “Come on, Nick; bring your partner and let’s go to the kitchen. I’m in the middle of making a pot roast, we can talk as I work.”

The leopard - Lyra - ushers Judy inside before she shuts the door, thumbing at the keypad next to it for a moment; Judy catches the soft beep it lets out, and she wonders just what Nick’s dragged her into.

Lyra leads them into the kitchen, gesturing for them to hang their coats on the racks in the hallway. When Judy follows both leopard and fox into the kitchen, she finds Nick’s aunt standing on a stool, peeling carrots; she gestures with the peeler for Judy and Nick to take a seat, and Nick tugs her into one next to him. “Let me do the talking,” he murmurs.

”So, Nick,” Kaila says conversationally, “you say you’re finally ready to call in that favor I promised you? It’s been almost two decades since you stopped working for me, and nearly a decade since I got out of the business. What makes you think I have any more favors to give?”

”Aunt Kaila, you and I both know that the only way you and Aunt Lyra would get out of the business completely would be to die, and I’m sure you don’t have any plans for that anytime soon,” Nick says with a slight snort, earning himself a laugh from the leopard.

”He’s got us there, Kay,” Lyra teases. “Quit being mean to the boy and let him tell you what he needs.”

Kaila rolls her eyes before returning her attention to the carrots in front of her. “All right, Nick - talk. I’ll tell you what I can do when I know the whole story.”

”There’s been robberies, a lot of them, over the past several weeks,” Nick starts.

”Old news,” Kaila dismisses.

”Last night several nonprofit medical clinics were robbed - nearly bankrupted.” The older fox goes eerily still, and Judy’s heart picks up a notch - a still predator is almost never a good sign.

”Medical clinics?” Kaila asks sharply, setting the peeler down and jumping off of the stool to walk over and stare at Nick intently. “What kind?”

”Cancer and family planning,” Nick answers quietly, though he doesn’t break eye contact.

Kaila is the one who does, swearing violently as she turns away to pace, tail twitching in agitation; Lyra watches the fox with a soft, sympathetic expression, and when Kaila passes close enough, Lyra reaches over to lay a paw on the fox’s shoulder; Nick’s aunt gives the leopard a small, tight smile, squeezing the hand on her shoulder before she turns to Nick. “Give me the files.”

Nick hands them over without question, and just gives Judy a look when the rabbit moves to protest; Judy subsides, though she watches the scene before her even more cautiously than before; who the heck are these women?

Kaila spends several moments poring over the files before gesturing Lyra over, pointing to one of the shakier witness photos. “You think that’s him?”

Lyra peers at the picture for a moment before sighing. “Yes. That looks like Tyler.”

Kaila swears again, handing the files back. “You know I got out of that business before you came to Zootopia, Nick. You’re asking me to get back in.”

”I’m asking you to open a few doors,” Nick counters. “You - “

” _You_ know damn well that none of those animals are going to talk to you now that you’re a cop,” Kaila finishes, voice sharp and upper lip lifted in derision. “Maybe when you were just hustling popsicles, but now that you’ve gone straight, they won’t trust you. They’ll only talk to me, and only if they don’t know I’m asking for the cops.”

”Zootopia is your town,” Nick says, watching his aunt steadily. “You’ve more pies than you have fingers to stick them in. I just want answers.”

Kaila sighs, scrubbing a paw over her face. “I’m still the reigning best thief in the world,” she says after a moment. “Even Tyler couldn’t beat me, and that’s irked him for years. Decades, even. You’re going to need more than some answers to catch him, and even then you won’t be able to catch him.”

”With all due respect, ma’am,” Judy says, barely managing not to flinch when Kaila turns her sharp gaze towards her, “Nick and I are two of the best cops in Zootopia. We at least stand a decent chance.”

Kaila snorts. “No, you really don’t,” she counters. “Tyler and I trained under the same master; I’m in the only one who knows his true MO, his methods, his everything, and Nick knows it. Knows that me going back is the only chance you have.”

”I’m not asking for that,” Nick starts, but snaps his mouth shut when Kaila holds up a paw. 

”It will lead to that,” she says simply. “Tyler managed to get the painting out, and he tripped at the last step to dethroning me. You can’t touch him.”

”But you can?” Judy hazards.

Kaila looks at the folder lying innocuously on the table. “I can,” she says finally. “Just means I’m going to have to ask for a deal.”

* * *

Bogo is surprised, to say the least, when Nick and Judy show up with a fox in tow - a fox he happens to recognize. “Well,” he says, shaking his head, “I’ll be damned. Kaila Glenn. Never thought I’d see you voluntarily walk into the station.”

Kaila flashes him a sharp grin. “I walked out of here plenty of times, Captain - or is it Chief now? Congrats - and I’m going to walk out again. I’m here to help my nephew swat a pesky fly, and that requires a nice little chat with you.”

Bogo actually _laughs_ at that, and Nick and Judy look at each other in surprise. “Not gonna be like old times, then? Well, come on. You and your nephew and his partner.”

The two officers follow the others into Chief Bogo’s office, standing near the door as Kaila takes the chair. “Now,” Bogo says once they’re all situated, “I’m not going to lie; I was hoping Wilde would go straight to you. We need the best.”

Kaila laughs. “You never had any problem admitting that; you just could never admit you couldn’t touch me,” she smirks. “But yes. I know who you’re looking for, and I know that without me, you won’t be able to touch him, either.”

Bogo straightens. “What do you mean?”

”The man you’re looking for is a leopard by the name of Tyler,” Kaila answers. “He was my… classmate. I was better than him, and he’s never gotten over it. Now he’s made it personal, and that’s the only reason I’m sitting here.”

Bogo nods, any hint of levity gone. “What sort of deal are we talking about, then?”

”I want amnesty. Not for any past alleged crimes, but for anything I might have to do in the pursuit of justice, as it were.” Judy and Nick exchange surprised glances; amnesty for any possible future crimes wasn’t exactly a promising sign.

Chief Bogo is clearly thinking the same thing, because it takes him several minutes to respond, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “I can offer you amnesty for the course of this investigation,” he says finally. “Once this investigation is closed, your amnesty ends.”

Kaila nods. “You’ve got a deal.”

* * *

Nick and Judy have climbed into their usual booth at Pan’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant and ordered when Judy finally asks the question Nick’s been waiting for her to ask all day. “Kaila’s your aunt?”

”My mother’s sister,” Nick explains, picking at a roll from the basket between them. “I, uh - I came to live here when I was ten. About six months after the - the thing I told you about. I needed to get out. Mom wasn’t too happy about me going off to the big city, but she thought that Aunt Kaila would be good for me. She knew about Kaila’s former job, knew what she was doing then, but thought that maybe Kaila could teach me some useful skills.”

”Of the hustling type?” Judy asks with a raised eyebrow, though her voice is gentle, her expression open and soft in the way it always gets when they talk about Nick’s past.

”Self-protection,” Nick corrects. “The hustling was a bonus.”

Judy hums at that, then asks, “So, she and Lyra - “

”Were already married when I moved in,” Nick finishes. “She met Lyra around the time my Mom met the guy who contributed half of my DNA then ran.”

”And Lyra was - “

”A pickpocket,” Nick says with a grin. “She tried to pick Aunt Kaila’s pocket, got caught, and Aunt Kaila said she wouldn’t make a fuss if Lyra would help her nab a mark. That led to a date, that led to more dates, that led to marriage.”

”Huh. Interspecies relationships aren’t really common, though.”

Nick shrugs. “Neither are same-sex matings, but hey. Aunt Kaila never did like taking the easy route. They made it work, though. I was always a bit jealous of them - still am, actually, come to think of it.”

”Jealous?” Judy prods gently.

Nick doesn’t answer as their food is delivered, and then he confesses, ”I want a partnership like that. Something so solid that nothing can shake it. Foxes aren’t exactly common in Zootopia, if you haven’t noticed, and I’ve met few people I actually like enough to consider friends, let alone partners in the romantic sense.” 

”Oh.” Judy goes oddly quiet then, but Nick knows better than to pry. “Well, at least she’ll help us with this.”

”Her and Lyra both,” Nick agrees. “Tyler is Aunt Lyra’s brother, always had a weird thing for Aunt Kaila; I think part of the reason he’s always been trying to one-up her is some weird attempt at impressing her, trying to steal her away from Lyra. Honestly, I think he’s a bit deranged.”

Judy nods thoughtfully, digging into her salad. “Well, we’ve got a little bit of a lead to follow - why did he target those medical clinics?”

”I can answer that,” Nick says, taking a bite of his pasta. “My mom’s side of the family has a history of cancer; specifically, ovarian that affects the mammary glands as well. Aunt Kaila’s salary pretty much always went to those clinics and research, and family planning is something she’s always been an advocate of. Going after those clinics, Tyler made sure that Aunt Kaila and Aunt Lyra knows that he’s gunning for her.”

Judy shakes her head sadly. “I can’t believe that someone could do something like that,” she says distastefully. “I mean, it’s one thing to just plain steal, but to rob a _nonprofit_ clinic that’s trying to help people? That’s low.”

Nick shrugs. “Tyler’s scum. I met him exactly once, and that was enough to tell me that any sane person should stay as far away from him as possible. I’ll be glad to put him behind bars.”

”Well, we can get a start on that tonight,” Judy says decisively. “Kaila said she was going to take us along to talk to some people, right?”

”Yeah,” Nick says, “though you’re probably going to want to at least stay quiet; few of the people we’re gonna talk to are gonna be on the right side of the law, you know. And we need their cooperation or else this investigation won’t get anywhere, and Tyler will be able to walk free.”

Judy makes a face; Nick knows how much she hates admitting that sometimes there are grey areas in their job. “Fine,” she grumbles, flicking a carrot cube at him. “But I’m sticking with you.”

Nick grins and tries to ignore the little flutter in his chest; it’s probably just acid reflux. “I got your back, Carrots.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm thinking there's going to be at least one more chapter after this one, maybe two. I'm not sure; I just kept getting hit with random scenes that eventually resolved themselves into something resembling a plot.
> 
> I mean, this thing is literally titled "I can't believe I'm doing this" in my google drive; I think I can live with actually writing this as long as my fingers don't start trying to do actual sex.
> 
> If that happens, I'm breaking them.

True to his word, Nick sticks close to Judy as Kaila and Lyra take them around town; both fox and rabbit are dressed in civilian clothes, and Nick triple-checked to make sure that Judy had left her little recorder pen behind at her apartment. When Lyra and Kaila are both busy talking to an older giraffe, Judy finally leans in to ask, voice hushed, “Why are you so adamant about me staying quiet?”

”Because you got lucky with Mr. Big,” Nick answers. “If you hadn’t saved his daughter then we’d be dead. Aunt Kaila doesn’t trust you any further than she can throw you, and you only get that much because you’re my partner. Aunt Kaila’s been in this business for a long time; she’s not a crime boss, not like Mr. Big, but there are too many people in Zootopia who owe her their lives or businesses to count. That’s why she’s untouchable in a way a lot of other small-time criminals aren’t. That and she inherited my Aunt Mary’s contacts when she got Aunt Mary busted.”

Judy looks at him in surprise, and Nick shrugs. “Remember how I told you that if the world was only going to see a fox as untrustworthy, then that’s what I’d give them? Aunt Mary made it into the family business.”

”And how did - “ Nick cuts her off when Kaila and Lyra start walking back towards them, Kaila’s expression grim.

”We’re going to have to split up,” she announces when they’ve climbed back into the car. “Nick, you’re coming with me. Lyra’s going to take Hopps to meet with Mrs. Miyuki.”

Nick and Judy look at each other in surprise and apprehension; Nick _really_ doesn’t want to split up. “Why?” Nick asks slowly.

”Because you and I are going to meet someone who isn’t very friendly to strangers, and Hopps is a stranger,” Kaila answers, her tone brooking no argument. “Lyra will make sure nothing happens.”

Nick swallows, then nods, forcing down the uneasiness in his stomach. It’s been a long time since he’s done anything more high-stakes in his aunts’ world than hustling popsicles, and he’s certain that Kaila has something planned for him.

Lyra drives them a bit further towards the outskirts of Central Zootopia, dropping them off besides a closed bookstore. Nick’s surprised when Judy grabs his paw, stopping him from getting out of the car for a moment. “Carrots?” he asks, confused.

Judy’s eyes are big, worry clouding her expression. “Be careful, okay Nick? I don’t like splitting up.”

Nick’s expression softens, and he nods, twisting his paw so he can squeeze Judy’s reassuringly. “I’ll be careful,” he promises instead of ‘I’ll be fine.’ On impulse, he leans forward to brush his muzzle against her cheek before jumping out of the car; as the vehicle drives away, Nick can just see Judy’s surprised expression through the window.

”Well, isn’t that interesting,” Kaila says after a moment, and Nick scowls, ears flattening in embarrassment. Kaila just smiles at him, jerking her head in a ‘follow me’ gesture. “Come on; we’re going to have a little family reunion.”

It takes a few moments for Nick to puzzle out what his aunt means, and then he blinks. “Wait. You mean we’re going to meet with Aunt Mary? I thought she was in jail!”

”Still is, for another twenty years,” Kaila confirms. “But she’s got connections, and she gets one night on Zootopia’s streets every six months. The guards let me know when she’s going out and I keep an eye on her myself, then deliver her to the pick up at four in the morning.”

”And… she’s going to use her night to talk with us?” Nick asks, confused. “I thought she hates you.”

”She hates what I did,” Kaila corrects, steering Nick down a street he recognizes with a twist in his stomach. “But she respects me; I outplayed her, pure and simple.”

”She’s meeting us in the Natural History Museum,” Nick says flatly. “So she’s still got that cruel sense of humor.”

”Unfortunately, yes,” Kaila confirms. “But you never let that get to you before.”

Nick snorts. “I just stayed quiet; I hope you’re not expecting that again,” he counters.

Kaila grins toothily at him. “Of course not,” she says pleasantly. “I’m expecting you to do most of the talking, actually.”

That gets Nick to shut up as they settle into position across from the museum, waiting for… something. Nick hopes Kaila knows what. Once they’re settled, silence reigns for almost half an hour before Nick breaks it. “You wanted to talk to me, didn’t you? You always were a fan of getting two birds with one stone.”

Kaila doesn’t answer immediately, but the silence has turned considering. "See, Nick, the thing is," Kaila says as they wait in the shadows, watching the still-closed museum where Nick and Judy closed their first case, "we foxes are sly, we're crafty, and we're observant - as long as we're not talking about our own emotions."

Nick frowns, glancing at his aunt from the corner of his eye. "I'm not sure I follow."

"We never know when our heart's been stolen, boy. Not until it's been stomped on a bit, anyway. Heck, I'm the reigning champion thief, and even I couldn't tell when Lyra took my heart, not until I almost lost her the first time, the first time I was the one to put her in danger. She left me for a week, and it was the most miserable I'd ever been - and I was never happier than when she showed up at my apartment, slapped me the moment I opened the door, and told me that if anything like that happened again, she'd leave for good." Kaila gives him a look and a slight smile as she adds, "The thing about being a thief is I know stolen goods when I see them - and your heart, Nick, it's been gone for a long time."

Nick looks at his aunt with wide eyes. “I - what? I don’t know - “

”Don’t play stupid, boy,” Kaila snorts. “Your partner, Judy. You’ve been working with her for several months now, and every time you’ve mentioned her, I can all but hear the hearts in your eyes. You’re smitten, in love, whatever you want to call it.”

”Even if I were, she’s not,” Nick says mulishly; he’s not going to outright admit that his aunt’s right, mostly because he doesn’t think she is. Him, a fox and former con man, in love with Judy Hopps, rabbit and lifelong do-gooder?

Yeah, right.

Kaila sighs. “You get your stubbornness honest, I’ll give you that much,” she mutters. “Look, use your eyes, Nick. Maybe listen to those instincts of yours for something other than picking a good mark.” Kaila and Nick’s attention is caught by movement from inside the museum, and Kaila nods at Nick’s questioning look. “Let’s go.”

* * *

Kaila, Nick, Lyra, and Judy all meet up just after four o’clock in the morning. “Nick,” Judy says, relieved, stepping forward to get a better look. “You’ve looked better.”

Nick snorts. “Family reunion, long story,” he mutters. “But we got some good information.”

Kaila nods. “Aunt Mary’s got some contacts who’ve seen Tyler at the pharmacist on Fifth and River, picking up some drugs.”

Lyra expression turns worried. “Do they know what kind?”

Kaila shakes her head. “That’s what we need to find out. I need to know why he’s suddenly attacking me - us - so personally. It’s been years since the last big attack, when you and I almost busted him; why now?”

”You know I haven’t heard from him since then,” Lyra says, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “Absolute radio silence.”

Kaila sighs, leaning against Lyra’s side to wrap her arms around her wife’s waist. “I know. We’ll figure out the next step after we get some sleep; we’ve been out longer than I thought we would be tonight.”

As if to punctuate that statement, Judy suddenly yawns, loudly. “Oh, sorry,” she says, embarrassment coloring her scent. “I’m not used to late nights.”

Nick takes this as his cue to wrap an arm around her shoulders. “Come on,” he says. “I’ll get them to drop us off at my place, and you can spend the night there. I’ll let Bogo know that we’ve made some progress.”

”You might as well let him know that I’m going to be exercising that promise we made,” Kaila adds. “Tomorrow night I’m going to break into the pharmacy and take a look at his records.”

Nick just nods, and he knows that Judy’s probably frowning beside him. “We’ll be there in case anything goes wrong,” he says.

* * *

Judy’s spent the night at Nick’s place often enough that she has a drawer of things in his dresser - and Nick studiously ignores his aunt’s not-so-subtle voice in his head reminding him of just how much he likes knowing that Judy trusts him this much, to let him - a predator and a _fox_ no less - see her at her most vulnerable. “I think you left a nightshirt here last time,” Nick says, dropping his jacket onto the back of the couch. “You wanna take the bed, I’ll take the couch?”

Judy actually snorts at that. “You and I both know that that couch isn’t that comfortable,” she retorts. “Your bed is big enough for the both of us, and we both need to get enough sleep if we want to be even half-coherent when Bogo inevitably asks us how tonight went.”

Nick feels like he should protest, even just for show, but… “Fine,” he sighs, like this is some huge inconvenience - it is an inconvenience, but probably not for the reasons Judy’s thinking. “Fine. But I get first shower in the morning.”

Judy rolls her eyes. “You’re such a terrible host.”

”You’re not a guest, you’re my partner,” Nick shoots back, and doesn’t miss the small, pleased smile that crosses Judy’s expression. “I’m just gonna lock up while you change, okay? Let me know when it’s safe to come in.”

”Yeah,” Judy says, raising one hand in an absent wave as she crosses the threshold into the bedroom. “I’ll let you know when the coast is clear.”

It takes Nick only a few moments to lock the front door and check the windows, testing the latches a second time like he always does when Judy spends the night. Then he fiddles around in the kitchen until Judy gives the all-clear, shutting the lights off in the kitchen and living room as he makes his way to the bedroom; he catches a glimpse of the bedside clock as he enters, just as it ticks over to 4:37AM. “Ready to sleep?” he asks casually, testing the latch on the bedroom window before closing both shades and curtains to keep out any semblance of sunlight. When he turns towards the dresser to grab his own nightclothes, he nearly chokes on his own tongue; it’s not like he’s ever seen Judy bend over before, okay? And he makes a point of looking away from her rear end whenever he catches it, because, well, that’s just the polite thing to do, right?

The thing is, Nick is _pretty sure_ those pants Judy’s wearing don’t even qualify as pants. There’s no way they do, not with how tightly they cling to every shift of muscle as Judy smooths out the fur on her lower legs, doing what Nick now knows is her usual nightly grooming routine. 

It’s only when Judy starts straightening that Nick remembers himself, and he is abruptly extremely grateful that A)rabbits aren’t very good at scenting emotions via shifting hormones and pheromones the way that most predators can, and B)a blush doesn’t show up under fur - especially red fur. “I’ll be right back,” he manages to stutter out, darting through the door to the connecting bathroom and all but slamming the door behind him.

He draws out the process of getting changed for as long as he can; long enough that, when he presses his ear to the bathroom door before unlocking it, all he can hear beyond is Judy’s soft, even breaths, indicating that she’s already asleep. Nick lets out a quiet breath, letting his forehead drop against the door with a soft _thunk_ , firmly reminding himself that Kaila is wrong, and even if she isn’t - which she is - then it. Changes. Nothing.

Nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you're getting some more background stuff about Nick's family here, as well as probably one of the most important conversations in this fic. Short chapter, I know; today was absolutely hectic; hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get more written.

Judy wakes up so hot that for a moment, she thinks she’s back at the warren at Bunnyborough, buried under a pile of countless siblings.

The moment she opens her eyes, however, that thought is quickly dispelled; all she can see is rusty red. She doesn’t realize what she’s seeing until she realizes there’s also fur in her mouth.

That’s enough to wake her up, sitting upright and spluttering, pawing at her tongue to try to get the fur out; beside her, Nick snorts in his sleep, shifting so that he’s sprawled on his stomach while still being curled around Judy. The sight is ridiculously endearing, and Judy can’t help but smile softly before reaching out to smooth a patch of rough fur; Nick lets out a contented sigh, arching into her touch, and Judy obliges with a quick scratch before hopping out of bed. She knows that Nick, unless she actually wakes him up, will most likely sleep for another half hour at the latest, and that’s just enough time for Judy to run out and grab breakfast; a glance at Nick’s cupboards had told her that he, as usual, kept very little food in his apartment.

Judy tried not to think too hard about what that said about Nick’s life before they met.

A quick jaunt down the street to Lily Pad Cafe yields a successful forage of bagels, danishes, and coffee, which Judy carries triumphantly back to the apartment. “Nick!” she calls, kicking the door shut behind her; it’s nearly noon, now, and she knows that the neighbors on this floor have all left for work so she doesn’t feel guilty for the noise. “Rise and shine, foxtail, I’ve got breakfast!”

There’s a crash from the bedroom that Judy winces at; she’s seen Nick try to get out of bed before he’s fully awake before, and it’s not pretty. She just hopes he didn’t just break his alarm clock; without it, he’s hopeless as far as getting to work on time goes. It takes a few moments of muffled cursing and some (quieter) bangs before Nick appears, squinting at Judy through the gloom of the curtained apartment for a moment before his expression clears and he darts over, nearly tripping over the couch. “Have I ever told you how much I love you? Is that a mug of dark chocolate mocha?”

Judy laughs, handing over the beverage before leading the way into the kitchen, flicking on a light. “It is, and yes, you have, but it’s always nice to hear again,” she teases.

Nick moans after his first sip of caffeine and sugar. “I love you,” he promises. “I will never ever threaten to request another partner again ever.”

Judy grins. “That’s nice to hear,” she chuckles. “Here, I got your favorite.”

Nick’s expression lights up, and he actually leans across the table to press an exaggerated kiss to Judy’s cheek as he takes the food. “The love I have for you grows by the day,” he announces dramatically, and Judy just rolls her eyes.

”Of course it does, Nick; I’m pretty amazing.” Judy brushes half-heartedly at where he messed up her fur, her smile turning fond. She really does love this crazy fox, and that’s the rub.

* * *

Bogo, predictably, isn’t terribly happy with Kaila’s plan, but he agrees that it’s faster than waiting for a warrant, and since there was _another_ robbery - not another nonprofit, but from someone who couldn’t exactly afford the loss - the day before, he gives the go-ahead, saying that they can cite probable cause.

So, at around eleven o’clock that evening, Judy and Nick meet up with Kaila and Lyra a few streets away from the pharmacy. “I need Lyra and Nick on the front side, ready to cause a distraction if needed,” Kaila says. “Hopps, I want you with me to keep an ear out at the back. There are some security guards on the buildings to either side, so we’ll need to establish their pattern first, then we’ll be ready to go.”

Judy gives Nick a worried look, but his is reassuring, as is the touch to her shoulder. “Kaila knows what she’s doing,” he reassures her; it’s not as comforting as he probably thinks, considering what Kaila is doing is breaking the law.

They spend a few moments hammering out the plan, and then they split up; Nick actually hugs her tonight, and Judy’s still thrown when she and Kaila round the corner into the alley and Kaila stops abruptly, turning to face Judy; it’s mostly luck that the rabbit doesn’t actually run into the other female. “What?” she asks, self-conscious under the fox’s scrutiny.

”Oh, nothing - it’s just, how long have you and my nephew been partners?”

Judy eyes Kaila suspiciously. “Almost a year, now. Why?”

”How did you get to be partners?”

Judy raises an eyebrow. “He didn’t tell you?”

”Humor me, please.”

Judy sighs. “I was given forty-eight hours to solve a missing persons case, Nick was my only lead, and the only way I could get his help was to blackmail him into it by getting him to confess to felony tax evasion; we became friends, and when the case was finished he decided to join the force.”

”Hm. Did Nick tell you about himself? Anything at all?”

”He’s mentioned… bits and pieces,” Judy says hesitantly. “Here and there. He’s private.”

”He is,” Kaila agrees. “But he’s opened up to you. The night after you two nearly gotten eaten by that jaguar, he called me freaking out because he told you about the muzzling incident when he was nine; he’d never told anyone but me and his mom about it before, and he’d known you for a little over twenty-four hours, and already he told you arguably the thing that affected him the most.”

”It was an emotional story, and I can’t imagine - “

”No, you can’t,” Kaila says, interrupting. “And I don’t have to, and neither does his mother. Lyra had to restrain us both from turning feral when we heard what those kids had done to Nick.” Kaila’s quiet for a moment, then she continues, “I’m sure Nick’s mentioned that my Aunt Mary was also a thief?”

”He’s said something about the family business,” Judy says cautiously, unsure of where this conversation is going and if she even wants to go there.

”Because it is. Aunt Mary raised me and Maura, Nick’s mother. She was our father’s sister, and our parents died when we were about twelve or so. By then, she was a relatively well-known thief; she started using both me and Maura in her cons, usually as distractions so she could break into places easier. Maura got out when she turned eighteen, and honestly, I’ve always envied her just a little for that.

”I stayed, because by the time I turned eighteen, I was addicted. The thrill of taking something that didn’t belong to me was great, but what was even better was besting the challenges that people put up, security guards, alarms, the whole shebang. It was a high better than anything any drug could give me, and I wasn’t about to give it up. I could grift, I could hack, I could steal, and Aunt Mary loved me for it - at least, she loved my talents. Me, not so much. I was… idealistic.”

Kaila falls quiet then, and Judy finds herself asking, “What happened?”

Kaila sighs. “I always knew that Aunt Mary didn’t keep me in the loop about every job - and eventually I found out why. She was running long-term scams, things that would bleed hard-working citizens who counted on every penny dry. Some she was was outright stealing from. So, I started working in secret, too. I gathered evidence, every little scrap that I could, and I set her up. A target too tempting to resist, and then I anonymously tipped off the ZPD before she had a chance to get out. They caught her red-handed, and found evidence waiting on the front desk the next morning connecting and implicating Mary in over twenty other cases. She ended up being convicted and sentenced to forty years; she’s eligible for parole in seventeen.”

”So how’d you get to be the ‘best thief in the world’?” Judy asks, curious. 

Kaila laughs a little at that. “There’s a test, universally acknowledged by the underground; if you pass it, you’re the best thief in the world for the next few years, or until you get dethroned. No one’s been able to beat me for the past fifteen.”

”Test?” Judy prods.

Kaila nods. “Any idiot can take a painting off of a wall; a better idiot can get it out of the building. An even better idiot can sell it. But only the best idiot can get it back in a week after it was taken without being caught at any point. I’ve managed it three times; most others only manage to get it out, and only a few of those manage to hang onto it for the required week.”

Judy nods, deciding that now, when they’re on a schedule, probably isn’t the time to ask how Kaila managed it. “So, how did you get Nick involved in this, if his mother got out?”

”A few years before the incident, I got out of the thieving business for the most part,” Kaila starts. “See, my policy was, well, to be Robin Hood; steal from the rich, give to the poor. The paintings and artifacts I sold, the proceeds went to various charities. Eventually, Lyra and I decided that maybe it was time to go straight - well, straighter, anyway. So we started backing off, turning more towards the path of cons; bending the rules rather than breaking them. We got good and established, then I heard from my sister that Nick had been assaulted and muzzled without reason. Well, Lyra was all that kept me from going straight to that rec center and scaring the holy hell out of those kids that very night; I don’t know how Maura managed not to until Lyra and I got there. We got to Denburrow a couple of weeks after the incident, and Nick had lost a lot of weight and wasn’t sleeping. It took being in a bed with all three of us for him to get even half a night’s sleep. So, after a lot of talking, Lyra and I suggested that Nick come stay with us, in Zootopia. There were much stricter laws about muzzling, and we had a lot of friends all over the city, and it was clear that Nick needed some distance. Maura eventually agreed, and Nick left with us. He’s only been back a few times, so far as I know. He calls his mom regularly, but when they visit, she comes out here.

”Nick was about ten when he came to stay with us, and it took nearly a year for the nightmares to stop coming every night. Eventually, he said he wanted to help earn his keep, so we put him to work.”

”Hustling popsicles?”

”Not at first; we started him on smaller jobs, learning the ropes. But the biggest lesson we taught him was to never break the rules - to not do what we did. Bend the rules all you want, trick someone into voluntarily giving you a few dollars, but don’t break the rules. And above all, don’t hurt anyone; pick your marks wisely. Anyone who ever fell for his and Finnick’s ‘birthday’ scam was never someone who couldn’t afford fifteen dollars. You saw for yourself that he had all the licenses and everything; nothing he did was illegal, just… highly immoral. But morals didn’t really matter to us.”

Judy snorts, thinking back to her first full day in Zootopia. “But he ended up not reporting that income,” she points out. “Which is a crime.”

Kaila laughs, shaking her head. “I taught him better than that; he just got cocky,” she counters. “I can’t be blamed for that.”

Judy rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling; all it takes is thinking of the smirk Nick had carried until she’d pulled out her recording to remind her that, yeah, Nick was - and still kind of is - that cocky. “Well, he’s turned over a new leaf now,” she says, her smile slipping into something fond as she thinks of how far Nick’s come - how far they’ve both come.

”There,” Kaila says suddenly, her expression intense as she points emphatically at Judy’s face; Judy, for her part, jumps in surprise before looking at the older fox questioningly. “That’s how I know my kit’s wrong; you do love him.”

”Of course I love him,” Judy says, confused. “He’s my best friend.”

Kaila makes a rude noise in the back of her throat. “That’s not what I mean, and you know it. You _love_ him. As in, if he was a rabbit, or you a fox, then you’d already have at least a litter of kits together.” Something catches Kaila’s attention then, and when Judy opens her mouth to reply, Kaila slaps a paw over it. “Quiet,” she hisses, watching the roof of the next building over intently. “Perfect. Sorry, Officer Hopps, but we’ll have to continue this conversation another time; it’s show time.”

With that, the fox is gone, scampering up the dumpster and fiddling with the lock on the window above it before slipping inside, leaving behind a very confused and annoyed rabbit.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still working on this chapter; it's going to be a short one, but I rewarded myself for surviving two midterms in the same day by writing! This chapter is mostly fluff and Judy/Nick relationship building.

Kaila’s little breaking-and-entering stunt yields results; Tyler is taking an experimental drug, but she hadn't been able to dig up anything other than the name before she'd decided to haul her bushy tail back to the relative safety of the streets. “I'll get eyes and ears out,” she promises, “and as soon as he knows what he’s doing, we'll know.”

Chief Bogo had told them to stay on alert, ready to move when Kaila said - and one day, Nick is going to get the story of just how well Kaila and Bogo know each other out of one of them - but they didn't need to report to the station. Which leaves both Nick and Judy unoccupied for the day; Lyra calls Nick when Judy leaves to shower and pick up a fresh change of clothes. 

”Why don't you take her on a date?” the leopard suggests; Nick groans. 

”Not you, too; Aunt Lyra, please - “

”Don't you ‘Aunt Lyra’ me,” Lyra scolds. “Now you can pull that thickheaded act with Kaila all you want, but you have never acted so foolish with me, and you better not start now. It's plain for anyone to see how much you two care for each other; why won't you admit it?”

”Gee, I don't know,” Nick snaps. “How about the fact that I'm a fox, and she's a rabbit, for starters. Interspecies relationships are usually between animals of the same group, not one from each! Not to mention that workplace relationships are frowned upon, and at the least we'll get assigned to new partners while we're on duty.”

”Nicholas Philharmon Wilde,” Lyra snaps, giving as good as she gets. “Now you listen to me, I never thought I'd hear you being such an idiot! Kaila and I raised you better than that. You two are the best partners the ZPD has seen since Bogo and Kaila’s mother, and Bogo would be an imbecile of elephantine proportions if he split you two up just because you two entered into a relationship. And you two being predator and prey has nothing to do with any potential relationship besides being the first hurdle you two will have to face once you pull your heads from your asses. Every relationship has its challenges, and yours would be no different, and you flatter yourself if you think that being from two different biological groups will be the hardest challenge any relationship has faced!”

By the time Lyra finishes ranting, Nick can pick up the sounds of her pacing, and he feels slightly guilty for snapping at his aunt. “Sorry,” he offers after a moment.

Lyra takes a breath before she speaks. “I shouldn’t have yelled,” she acknowledges. “But I stand by what I said - you two clearly care for each other, and I think you could make each other happy. And I think you two are also good enough friends that even if a more intimate relationship doesn’t work out, you’ll still stay friends.”

Nick rubs a paw over his face as he thinks. “Maybe,” he says after several long moments. “I don’t know, I’ll think about it, okay? I promise.”

Lyra chuckles. “You’re your aunt’s nephew, that’s for sure,” she says fondly. “But okay; think about it - _really_ think about it - and that’s good enough for me. I gotta go run some errands, but I love you, Nick.”

”I love you, too, Aunt Lyra,” Nick says, smiling despite himself as they hang up. He pockets his phone, switching the ringer to vibrate, and settles on the couch, mind whirring.

Could he do this? _Can_ he, maybe, is the more important question. He knows that he could - it’s not technically that hard to ask someone on a date - but can he ask his best friend, the person he loves the most except for his mother and aunts, out on a date? Does he even want to open that door? Because once it’s open then there’s no closing it; it’ll always be at least cracked.

But the more he thinks about it, the more Nick realizes that Lyra is right - he does want to take that chance. Their friendship is solid enough that it’ll survive if dating doesn’t work out, he knows. They worked too hard to get where they are now.

And of course, with his mind made up, Judy is now halfway across the city, and Nick doesn’t exactly want to do this over text. Still, he needs to do _something_ before he chickens out, so he sucks it up and pulls out his phone. **Hey, got any plans for today?**

It only takes a moment for Judy to reply, but it’s enough to have Nick second-guessing himself. **Besides waiting for Kaila? Not much; why?**

Nick takes a deep breath, then carefully types, **Do you wanna hang out? There’s that new movie out that you mentioned wanting to see.**

**Oh, _Star Wars_? Yes please! I just got finished talking with my crazy neighbors, let me grab a shower and get changed; pick me up at mine?**

Nick can’t help but shake his head, a fond smile on his face; for some reason, Judy had refused to move to a nicer apartment, and nothing had been able to change her mind. **Yeah; I'll be by in fifteen.**

* * *

It doesn't take Judy long to figure out what Nick’s up to - the fox is oddly jumpy, and he keeps looking at Judy with an obviously fond look on his face. So about half an hour into the movie, when Nick tries to pull the old yawn-and-stretch, Judy just grins to herself, leaning more fully into Nick and pulling her feet up onto the seat. The movie is amazing, but what's more amazing is when, after the movie, Judy asks, “So - is this good enough to warrant a second date?” Nick gets an adorably surprised look on his face, but he smiles, and answers, “More than a second, I think.” 

Judy laughs, happier than she's been in a long time, and she's leaning in towards Nick, and Nick is leaning towards her, and - 

And Nick’s phone goes off. Judy groans, but the look on Nick’s face is enough to cut it off before it can truly get started. “Kaila?” she guesses

”Yeah,” Nick says, answering - he barely gets out a greeting before a snarl is echoing down the line; it sends both Nick and Judy’s hackles rising, and without looking at each other, they sprint for the car as Kaila speaks.

”He took her,” she growls. “That son of a misbegotten leprous donkey _took her._ ”

”Took who?” Nick demands, tossing the car keys to Judy. 

”Lyra! That bastard took Lyra, his own sister, and had the fucking nerve to send me a picture of her tied up, bleeding, in some abandoned shithole!”

Nick and Judy share a glance; this is quite a step up from robbery, and if Tyler is making this move, who knows what else he’s capable of doing. “Where? Were you able to figure out where?”

”The abandoned observatory on the outskirts of town,” Kaila snaps, and there’s something on the edge of her voice that makes Judy worry that things tonight aren’t going to end very well for more than one person. “You better hurry, Hopps, or I’m making no promises.” With that, the line goes dead.

Nick and Judy share a look, and Judy throws the siren on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is so short; I just couldn't find the motivation to make it longer. I might come back and rewrite, add some stuff in later, but for now this chapter is complete.
> 
> Next chapter is going to be pretty much the climax, and then we'll be wrapping things up, folks!


End file.
